Structure your process

Sometimes, when faced with a writing task, we don't know where to start. We wait for pressure, such as an impending deadline, and then rush to write whatever thoughts we have. This can lead to a bad paper since a paper must have an organized thought proving a particular argument, also known as a thesis.

For this blog, let's lay down the pavement to smooth the way.

Outline

Basics

First do your outline. Open your word processor and just list the basic elements of the paper or article. 

This can be:

1. Introduction
2. Discussion
3. Conclusion

Sometimes, it can be specific topic headings:

1. A Phenomenology of Idiocracy
2. The Case of the Philippine Senate
3. The Case of the American Voter
4. A Political Downward Spiral

That first topic can introduce the cases and lay the framework. The last topic concludes. The headings tell the reader what to expect in the paragraphs. THAT should remind you that that's what you're supposed to deliver!

Now that you have made your outline, make sure to format each heading and/or subheading using the STYLE tool of MS Word, if you are using that. I'm not sure with other word processors. 

Once your format each topic as headings and subheadings, then they will appear as navigation panes for easy access to each of your manuscript areas. This will also help you generate a table of contents if you need one.

Also, don't forget to format the headings and subheadings based on the rules of your chosen or required writing style - APA, Chicago...

Advanced

Think about the topic sentences of the paragraphs that should compose each section and/or subsection. For example, how many paragraphs are needed for the introduction? What are they supposed to say? Topic sentences are important because you need to have a focus for that paragraph, not scattered ideas. That angers readers, professors who would grade papers, and journal reviewers.

Having these topic sentences will function as writing prompts. From here, you can add what references would fit and what ideas you need to say. 

Speaking of references, I also input the reference links from Mendeley in preparation. The reference link or automated author date marker per citation will make sure that you have all your needed references. Aside from this, I also already include a paraphrase of the needed idea or notes on what the reference functions as. Take note, PARAPHRASE.

Some students like to quilt papers. Quilting is the notorious strategy of getting quotes and rearranging them together in a sequence to make-up a paper. This will get you a high TurnItIn score, bad mark of plagiarism. So, make sure to paraphrase  already. Remember, the paper is supposed to be originally yours. The references are there to help prove that what you are claiming is true.

Here's a sample. You have an argument. You argue that America's Ooompa Loompa President is Gay. That statement does not need a citation. But the sentence doesn't end there. It requires 1) explanation, and 2) examples as proofs. Some of your explanations might have to refer to existing principles, and you should. If your explanations are all based onunfounded ideas, then there's a problem with your argument. And since you are using already argued principles, then you have to cite them. For example, I might cite some psychology papers to read about the American president's movements.

Categorize

An easy way to handle the large number of references that  you use as a pool for your paper is through a database. Check out the photo above. What I do is list each reference.

You might choose a set of categories depending on your purpose. For example

Author, Date, Topic, Method

I have a professor whose requirements for athe nalysis of papers are:

Title, Author, Argument, Conversation, Evidence

Once you have made these columns, you can select the top row of the existing columns and do CTRL+SHIFT+L or just go to the HOME Menu, then SORT&Filter, then choose FILTER. This will make the top rows as interactive filters that you can click and organize the entire group of columns with.

I hope these help. Happy writing!